Railroad-switch



(No Model.)

P. NOLA'N.

RAILROAD SWITCH.

V UNTTE STATES PATENT OFFICE9 PATRICK NOLAN, `OF ROCKWOOD, TENNESSEE.v

RAILROAD-SWITCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 253,749, dated February 14, 1882.

` Application filed August 1, 1881. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern Y Be it known that I, PATRICK NOLAN, a subject of the Queen of Great Britain, and a resident of Rockwood, in the county ot' Roane and State of Tennessee, have invented certain new and useful Improvements i n Railroad-Switch es, of which the following is a specification.

-My invention relates to an improvement in railwayswtches. Y

The object of this invention is to prevent cars which are run apart onto the side track by a running-switch from having any tendency to return to the main track.

In sidings which have a downgrade toward the main track a great deal of trouble is experienced in preventing cars from returning toward the main track, as the switched cars usually have to be blocked or checked by the switchman, which causes lthe stopping1 of the train to allow the brakeman to follow up and block the return of a car run onto the side track; but by the employment of the short spring-switch herein shown the track is automatically blocked by the reconnecting ot the main track by the switch, and a perfect safety locking or blocking of the car on the siding is obtained. This I accomplish by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is aplan view of myinvention. Fig. 2 is a cross-section on line x x, Fig. Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation, showing one of the friction-rollers attached in position between the ties on line y y, Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a crosssection of the spring operating the blockswitch. Fig. 5 is a cross-section showing the slidin g track-bar of the switch supported on a roller between the ties on line z c, Fig. 1.

A A represent the main-track rails.

B B represent the ordinary movable switchrails.

b b represent ordinary chair-slides for supporting the movable rails B B.

A" A" represent ordinary railway-ties.

C G represent a series of longer ties, upon the ends of which are mounted bearings D, for supporting a connecting crank-rod, E, journaled thereon.

E' E" represent cranks at each end of vrod E.

F represents the ordinary switch bar for moving the sliding rails.

M represents the switch-lever by which the switch is operated.

b' b' represent the ordinary connecting-bars which hold the rails Bin proper relative position.

Gr represents a link connecting crank E with switch-lever F M.

I represents a spring connecting-rod, which is connected at one end to crank E" of crankrodE. Attheptherend rodIisrmlyclamped to the short switch-rail in such a manner as to movethe rail when the crank-rod E is operated.

L represents a roller hung between two ties, A" and C, for supporting spring switch-rod H I, and allowing it to slide endwise with but little friction.

O Orepresentsupplementalswitch-bars supported on friction-rollers to assist the movement of rails.

c represents a short switch-rail which moves a short distance out of line with its abutting rail A'. Cranks E' and E" should be out of center, so as to allow the parts to be operated with ease, avoiding a dead-center.

l lrepresent other rollers upon which clamping chair-rods O O, which support the short rail a, are supported. Theserollers l l allow rail a, sliding on chairs O' 0', to move easily.

K represents a spring-connection in rod I between the short switch-raLand the crankrod E. It may occupy any desired position between these points. It should have suflcient elasticity to yield to the lateral draft caused by the ilange of the wheels of an empty car which is being run onto the side track, and

of sufficient tension to return the rail a to its place, as shown in Fig. 1, as soon as the car has passed over the end ot' it, so that it may thus serve as a block or stop to the ear and prevent its return past that point. This spring-connection, as shown in Figs. 2 and 4, scomposed of a rod or bar, K', having at each end a head, L', in an opening in each of which is arranged a headed tapering thrust-block, N', the smaller portions of which project through said heads and rest against nuts s on threaded parts of the rod H, so that one or both of said thrust-blocks can be adj usted to regulate the tension of two reversely-coiled springs which encircle the rod H, and abut at each end against the respective inner shouldered ends of the ICO thrust-blocks. When the switch between the main and side track is opened to connect the main with the side track, crank-rod E and connectng-rod I,being connected to switch F M, moves the rail a into position with the abuttingjoint-rail A', and allows cars to run from the main to the side track, and vice versa. When the switch is turned to connect the maintrack rail and a car is turned onto the side track by a runnin g-s witch 7 the spring-Gounod tion K yields to the pressure of the ange oi' the car-wheels on the inside ot' short switchrail a and brings it into line position with its abutting rail to allow the car to pass fully onto the siding, and as soon as the car has passed short switch-rail a the spring K brings it into position (shown in Fig. l) for blocking the return of the car toward the main track. This short switch-rail a is a very important improvement, as it effectnally holds the cars on the side track and allows a running-switch to be made with ease and safety.

I claim- 1. In the side track of a railway connected by a switch to the main track, the short blocking switch-rail ai, combined with the main switch, the crank-rod E, connected with and operating thelatter, and a spring-connection between the blocking switch-rail and thc crank-rod, said members being arranged for operation substantially as described, for the purposes set forth.

2. The combination, with a railway-switch, of the short blocking-rail 0., crank-rod E, arranged parallel to the track rails, and the spring connecting-rod I, all constructed and arranged substantially as and for the purpose described.

3. The combination, with the switch and main siding track-rails, the connecting-rod I, the short blocking-rail a, and thecrank-rod E, of

the switch-spring K, all arranged for operation substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses. l

P. NOLAN.

Witnesses II. H. SQUIER, C. B. DUNCAN. 

